Galerians: Ash - Alternate Destiny

**DISCLAIMER: This is a short story based on one of my favorite Playstation 2 games, "Galerians: Ash." The characters and original storyline are not mine, except the character later known as Gia (pronounced Guy a.)**

File 16648: A Connection

Rion and Lilia lead Gia to a bedroom which was to be his. It had a bed, one overhead light, a communicator and an old teddy bear that was found in the ashes of Micehlangelo City, a sign of a once peaceful exsistence. Gia for once, released her grip of Rion and walked inside the room, making her way towards the bed. She sat there, glancing around the room, and then grabbed the teddy bear, letting her fingers caress the bear as she smiled slightly. Lilia stayed at the door as Rion walked over to Gia. He bent down in front of her and looked at her for a few seconds before speaking.

"Gia ..."

Gia immediatly looked at Rion at the sound of her name and smiled. "Is this your bear ... Rion?" she asked. Rion smiled and shook his head. "No ... I'm giving it to you. A gift." Rion stated, as Gia smiled even more, holding the bear closer to her. "Gia ... you must be tired. I want you to try and get some sleep ... later, I'll come for you and we'll work on your powers. Alright?" he asked. Gia nodded her head in understandment as she started laying down. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell fast asleep. Rion returned to his feet, as he let his hand brush a few stray hairs off of Gia's face and behind her ear. Rion then began leaving the room, as he closed the automatic door behind him. Lilia eyed Rion and looked back through the door window at Gia. Inside her, she felt a twinge of jealousy.

"So ... it seems you have quite a connection with Gia." Lilia replied.

"Huh? Oh ... I guess." Rion replied back, eyes still locked on Gia through the window.

"Do you think ... maybe ... your attracted to her due to the fact that she contains Dorothy's emotions? Since Dorothy is your mother ..."

"It's nothing like that. Gia holds Dorothy's emotions, but she doesn't share Dorothy's fears or loves, she merely has heightened emotions beyond her control. Anything she fears, loves or hates is all based on Gia ... her human emotions. That's why I feel I must protect her ..."

Lilia's eyes casted down and sighed. "Rion ... do ... do you love her?" Lilia asked. "Wh-What? Lilia, don't be ridiculous!" Rion replied, quite sure of himself. Rion then walked away back to the commanding base on the top floor, as Lilia watched him go. Out of nowhere, Cas appeaered coming from the opposite direction towards Lilia. "Hey, Professor Pascalle ..."

"Please, Cas ... call me Lilia."

"Well, Lilia then ... I think the real question is, do you love him?"

"What? No ... we're good friends thats all. Nothing more ... I was just asking out of curiosity."

"Or maybe ... what your really thinking is ... Rion, I brought you back ... I have faith in you ... and what? No I love you?"

Lilia sighed in frustration and started walking away from the conversation. "Did he even say thank you when you brought him back?" Cas called after her, making Lilia stop momentarily and continue forward to her lab.

****

Romero had everyone on high alert on the commanding deck as Rion had made his entrance. "What's going on?" Rion asked. Romero scoffed in anger. "Seems we have two Galerians in our outer deck that have come to pay us a visit ..." he replied. "Stantson, bring up the main image from the video survielance." romero asked a routine soilder. Within seconds, Rion and Romero watched as they saw Spider and Parano causing trouble outside the deck of their base. "Those two!" Rion replied angriley. Suddenly, Spider walked up to the video survielance, as if to make an announcement.

"Rion ... If you want to protect these humans, then you must obey mother's demand. We will come in and destroy your precious humans, unless ..." he replied cold heartedly.

Rion's heartbeat increased, knowing full well what these two scumbags wanted. Parano moved into the picture, licking his knife with joy.

"Unless ..." Parano continued, "You give up Gia! NOW! We won't hurt her ... we just want to se the color of her blood."

"Its either the humans ... or her!" Spider finished, destroying the camera and blocking the images the commanding base was recieveing. "Just what I was afraid of ..." romero replied. "Take Gia to them! I don't want anymore lives risked on a Galerian!" he demanded. "NO!" Rion fought back. Romero looked at rion in disgust as he walked towards him. "Are you willing to put innocent people's lives in danger?" Romero yelled. Rion didn't back down, instead he moved closer to Romero. "You think they'll keep they're word! The moment we give Gia to them, they'll come gunning for the rest of you! Its a trap! I won't let you use Gia like that!" Rion violently yelled. "Anything to protect your little love, huh?" Romero replied backing away in anger, not knowing what to do. "I'll go out and confront them myself." Rion replied, already making his way out of the base to greet them, despite Romero's demands for him to stay out of this.

Inside the bedroom where Gia rested, Gia felt the presence of two Galerians. She started holding her head in fear and cried softly. "No ...No ... Not Parano and Spider! No!" she replied to herself. Suddenly, Gia felt Rion's presence with them, and suddenly her fear stopped. "Rion ... Rion! Don't! Don't hurt him!"

***

Parano and Spider's attention was soon brought to the open hatch of the base. They weren't at all surprised to see Rion walk out instead of Gia. Instead, Parano let out a sick and twisted laugh. "How amusing!" he called out. Spider smiled. "Mother knew ... she knew you wouldn't give Gia up so easily. You think you can save her Rion? Do you really think you can?" Spider replied. Rion grew angrier at every statment they made, as he clutched his fists. "Stay away from her!" he yelled, letting our one of his psychic abilities of fire, which rolled on the groudn towards Parano and Spider. They both jumped out of harms way, and behind Rion, who let out another blast behind him. It hit Spider, but not Parano, who rolled out of the way. Spider dropped to one knee and laughed. "You actually hit me Rion ... what a surprise." said Spider. "I've killed you once before ... I can do it again!" Rion yelled, using his psychic ability to lift Spider in the air and throw him back down hard on the ground.

Yet as he had Spider in the air, Parano dashed forward with his knife, cutting Rion's arm. Spider was still hurt, despite Parano's help, as Parano then let out a ray of electric force while Spider produced webs surrounding Rion. Rion held out his shield as long as he could, his anger fueling his strength. Yet Rion couldn't hold it that much longer, not with both attacks phasing him. "Poor Rion ... soon your blood will paint this road a much different color!" Parano pervertedly stated. Rion dropped to his knees, yet still holding his shield up. Suddenly, a loud scream filled the air, making Parano's electricity stop and Spider's blade webs break! Spider and Parano fell to the ground, covering their ears in pain, all except Rion. "What the -" Rion replied.

Suddenly, looking over, Rion saw Gia walking towards him, screaming. Her psychic powers are what brought Spider and Parano to thier knees. Rion stood up and reached out to Gia, as Gia's screams stopped. "Gia! What are you doing out here?" Rion asked. Gia fell in Rion's arms and slightly cried. "I don't want them to hurt you ... I won't let them, Rion ..." she replied, placing her hand on Rion's cheek. "Gia ..." Rion softly replied.
Suddenly, Parano and Spider returned to thier feet, and noticed Gia standing with Rion. "So ... you've finally got wing of your powers, eh Gia?" Parano replied, readying his knife for attack. "All the more to kill you! For mother!" Spider yelled, as they both ran towards them. Rion was able to use his psychic ability to toss Spider back, as Gia turned suddenly, her eyes a deep red, as Parano stopped in his place. Gia's anger towards them attacking Rion, displayed another psychic ability of Gia. As she squinted her eyes in anger towards Parano, Parano was struck in various parts of his body as if he were being stabed with daggers. Gia was doing this all through her eyes, as she released Parano, and he fell to the floor ... dead. Rion looked in awe at Gia's powers as he noticed Spider return to his feet.

"Let's finish what we started ..." Rion stated.

He released his hold on Gia, and walked towards Spider. He then let out his fire attack on Spider, which burned him, as well as lifting him into the air and throwing him back down. The impact Spider had with the ground ... killed him immediatly. The fight was over. Gia felt weak, and collapsed as Rion ran over to help her. He held her in his arms as she looked up towards him. "Your okay ..." she replied. Rion smiled. "Yes ... thanks to you, Gia." he replied. Gia smiled and noticed his cut on his arm. She sat up and grabbed it to look it over. "Oh Rion ..."

"Don't worry Gia ... I'm alright. Its nothing." Rion assured her.

Yet Gia began to cry, and placed his arm near her cheek, as a tear fell on his cut, making it suddenly tighten up, and disapeer, leaving merely a scar. Rion looked at his arm in amazement, and stared at Gia again. "Gia ... how ... I mean ... how were you able to control your powers? I thought you couldn't." Rion asked, quite confused at Gia's immediate control. Gia smiled. "Its because ... I've finally found something ... to protect." she replied. Rion felt a soft red color flush his cheeks as Gia leaned closer to him. Suddenly, Rion felt Gia's lips upon his, and although shocked, he allowed it ... and kissed her back.

****** END OF FILE 16648